


Mr. Rochesters plea

by LoonyMoon



Category: Jane Eyre (2006), Jane Eyre - Charlotte Brontë, The Autobiography of Jane Eyre
Genre: Alternate Ending, Angst, F/M, Romance, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-31
Updated: 2015-01-31
Packaged: 2018-03-09 18:53:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3260693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoonyMoon/pseuds/LoonyMoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“And now I must ask you to leave. I must see to my wife…” Rochester said. His voice was raw and his gaze filled with unbearable sadness. His eyes met Jane Eyre’s, discovering a tear that seemed as if it was about fall from her deep green eyes. He took a deep breath and turned around, away from her and to the heavy oak wood door that separated him from his wife.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mr. Rochesters plea

**Author's Note:**

> People, this is my very first fanfiction... In fact it is the first time I wrote anything like a story EVER! I have all this ideas in my head and somehow never managed to write them down. At least not until today.  
> I truly hope you'll like it!  
> Frankly I'm quite pleased with my work right now xD Anyway, since this is my first time, I'd certainly appreciate your thoughts on it. Please, feel free to criticize :3
> 
> Ps. This is also the first time I wrote something that long in english. Please be nice xD

“And now I must ask you to leave. I must see to my wife…” Rochester said. His voice was raw and his gaze filled with unbearable sadness. His eyes met Jane Eyre’s, discovering a tear that seemed as if it was about fall from her deep green eyes. He took a deep breath and turned around, away from her and to the heavy oak wood door that separated him from his wife. Facing the door he let the despair fill his mind and heart. One silent tear fell from his eyes as he turned the key and opened the door. He heard her light footsteps leaving the room behind him. She left… she left him without so much as a word… without screaming or crying or blaming… Who could bar her from leaving after what he did to her? But he didn’t expect this…this silence.  
Rochester stepped into Bertha’s comfortable, little prison, finding her sitting in a chair. Grace Pool stood before her, muttered calming words and handed her a glass of red wine. Bertha was panting heavily but she was calm… at least for her standards. 

“She’s calm now, Sir. Everything is under control again.” Grace Pool said “You should leave though… Sir?”

“Oh, how you destroyed my life, woman! You wild, insane … primitive creature. I wish I’d never met you.” Rochester snarled, scowling at this burden he married 15 years ago. A bitter taste filled his mouth and his hands twitched, as if he intended to strangle her. He wanted to provoke her. He wanted to see her true self, the mad woman who somehow managed to destroy every little spark of hope and happiness in his life. But she stayed calm. She didn’t seem to hear him. It was possible she didn’t even notice him standing there. 

“Sir, you don’t have to worry about her right now. You have other things to worry about.”

“You mean Miss Eyre? She’ll probably be gone by now…”

“And you let her leave without an explanation? An apology?”

Rochester looked at her and he came to agree that she was right. He couldn’t avoid a clearing conversation with Jane. Maybe it was even helpful. Maybe if he explained everything… maybe he could make her stay here – with him… maybe – 

He turned around on the door sill and rushed out of the room, ran down the stairs and to the hall. He took another staircase up to Jane’s room, taking two steps at a time. What was that? Suddenly Rochester heard a sound and slowed down. A sob… Jane! His beloved Janet. He rushed around a corner and saw her sitting on the last step of the staircase, her eyes closed, catching her breath, her arms wrapped around her chest. 

“Jane…” he whispered. Her eyes flew open and she jumped up. As he took a step towards his Jane, her eyes widened and she ran away.

“Jane! Jane!” Rochester yelled and ran after her. He chased her through the long corridors until she reached her room and closed the door right in front of him. “Jane! Jane, open up! Open the door! Jane! Please, Jane, open the goddamned door!” he yelled, hammering at the door like mad. He went on for a few more minutes, ordering and commanding her to open the door. No reply could be heard from the other side of the wooden barrier. He tried to calm himself, quietly breathed in and out. He knocked at the door and hesitated. “Jane, please open up.” he then said in a calm but shaking voice. “Jane, I’m begging you… Jane? Jane, please…Jane…” Rochester sank down to the floor and leant his head against the oak wood, trying to hear anything from inside.  
There was nothing but silence… for hours… not a single sound.

He didn’t know for how long he sat there when he finally heard her unbolting the door. Jumping up at once he positioned himself in the door frame, leaving her no space to walk past him. She opened the door in her plain, grey dress, her eyes wide as she met his gaze. They stared at each other in silence and he noticed how pale she was. As pale as a ghost…

“Finally you’re coming out.” he said “I’ve waited for some time. Waited for you and listened. But I have heard no movements or sobs or… This dead silence is annihilating. You’re avoiding me? You’re locking yourself up, you want to be alone in your affliction? I would have preferred you to come to me, to scream and reproach… I was prepared for floods of tears, but I wished you’d shed them over my chest instead of the cold floor…  
Now Jane? No words of reproach? How pale you are… no bitterness in your eyes… only tiredness and grief. I never wanted to hurt you so much.  
I am so very sorry. I could not rue my mistake more than I rue it right this second. Will you ever forgive me?”

She remained silent, gazing up at him. But she didn’t shut the door. That is a sign, he thought and waited for her to say something… anything.  
“I am so very tired.” she eventually said “I feel ill.” He saw her trembling hands, her empty eyes... Her legs seemed to end their service and she sank down, right into his waiting arms.

Rochester lifted her up and carried her tiny, limp body to the bed. He seated her down on the edge of the bed, fetched her a glass of water from the bedside table and sat down next to her. Rochester brought the water to her lips and she took a sip. Cupping her face and his eyes got lost in hers. Her soft skin was cold as ice.

“How are you feeling, Jane?”

“Better, Sir,”

“Take another sip of water… please.”

She did as he said. He stroked her cold cheek and leaned forward to kiss her. Jane backed away and looked down at her still trembling hands.

“What? You won’t let me kiss you anymore? I see… You don’t have to say it. I am married and you cannot kiss a married man.” She nodded.

“Oh Jane, you’re tormenting me with your silence. I love you! God help me! What am I to do? You cannot hate me, Jane. I didn’t mean to hurt you. All I ever wanted was to love you. I cannot live without you, my love. My little fairy” She looked up at him. “I knew it when I first saw you on that road. I knew that was in danger of falling in love with you. Do you remember? Do you remember how we found each other? Years of travelling through the world and when I come home I find my happiness on the road to Thornfield Hall. My little witch in my path… And, oh, how relieved I felt when saw you at Thornfield. When I certainly knew that I’d get the chance to find out more about the girl who bewitched me with a single glance.” He caressed the side of her face. His fingers wandered over the lines on her lips. Gently he pushed her down on the bed and pulled her in his arms. Jane’s shaking fingers slightly touched his neck. “And since that moment I never wanted to leave the place that you were.” and whispering these words, he leaned down and gently kissed her.

\----------------

She allowed him kiss her. She needed to feel his kisses one last time before she would leave him forever. Her beloved Edward tenderly looked down at her and the tears returned to her eyes. She could feel them running down her face, could feel his thumb taking that same path down her cheeks, wiping the tears away.  
Jane never felt like this in her life – so very hopeless and lonely. Not during her time in Lowood, not when she was a child, living with her aunt Reed and her cruel cousins. She felt exactly the feelings Edward – no, Mr. Rochester – described when he proposed to her. She was bleeding inwardly. Her heart was broken into a dozen pieces, which could never be put together again.

“Jane, do you love me?” Rochester looked at her with pain in his eyes, pleading. That proud, strong man she thought she knew was gone. Now he was in despair, pleading and begging her to relieve him from his agony. “Jane? Say that you don’t love me.” She looked up at him, at his depressed face and her heart flushed with all the love she had for him. All was forgiven. He loved her. She loved him. All was good – No. He was married. He couldn’t be with her. She loved him. Nothing was good… Everything was ruined. Jane silently shook her head. “You cannot say it.” he declared. “I love you.” she said “with all my heart!” He closed his eyes and inhaled a deep, relieved breath. “But I must leave you, Sir.” 

His eyes opened and he stared at her as if he couldn’t believe the words he just heard.

“Jane, you cannot leave me. You just said that you love me. Live with me, Jane! Be my wife!”

“How? I can never be your wife! Yes, I love you, Sir, but you are indeed married and I must leave you…”

“No. No, you cannot mean that. Don’t leave me, Jane.” He held her head in his hands and kissed her deeply. “My sweet, sweet Janet… don’t leave me here in the darkness.” She felt his warm breath on her skin and shivered. He lay upon her, his face only millimeters away from hers. His fingers still stroking her face. Edward kissed her again and again, made her shiver in excitement, made her desire more, when what she should have felt was disgust. He is a married man, she reminded herself. His finger went down to her throat. Jane shivered again and blushed. He kissed her forehead and her cheeks, her lips and her throat. She felt an unknown heat in her body as she began to tremble. Her heart pounded heavy against her chest and she caught for breath.

“Janet… I need you… don’t leave… you saved me from my dark thoughts once. Save me again. Stay with me” he whispered in her ear. 

“I can’t” she replied and shifted a little to get free. He kissed her passionate and a silent moan escaped his throat as she shifted once more.

“Why? Why are you tormenting me? Who would we offend? Who would care if we lived together? Just that one little human law standing between us. We have to be together!”

“I would care. I couldn’t live with myself if I gave in to that proposition” she hardly could keep her eyes open, as he continued littering her with soft kisses. “I must respect myself and save our souls” She gave out a gasp as his slightly opened lips ran up her neck.

“Jane…” he sighed.

“I will leave you.” she said crying at his shoulder.

“No. No. You don’t mean that.”

“I do” 

Rochester lifted his head and look at her. The sadness in his eyes was unbearable for Jane’s heart and she gently pulled his head to her chest.

¬¬----------------

He could hear her heart beat. He could feel it beat against his cheek. Rochester pulled her closer and squinted his eyes. He wished he could stop the time, wished the earth would stop spinning so this moment would never end. Her delicate fingers ran through his hair and over his face. In this very moment they were so close he thought he could hear her thoughts. It was the moment when he realized how much she loved him and that she would leave anyway. It was when he understood that she didn’t only leave for the sake of her own purity and soul, but also for his. She wanted to save him. But how could he be saved when she was gone? It was the moment he gave up. Tears fled his eyes and ran down his face. It was the first time he let anyone see his tears.

Rochester looked up and Jane raised a hand to wipe away a tear. He sighed as her skin touched his, as her tiny hand cupped his face. He nestled into her hand and sighed again.

“How can this flesh be so soft and yielding… and yet your heart be like an iron fist?” he said and rolled off her body. He could hear her crying, as he cried himself. They lay side by side, grieving silently.

“It would not have been wicked to love me, Jane. You have no family to be offended. No one to judge you.”

“I would judge myself.”

“What will I do, Jane? When you leave me?”

“Do as I do… trust in god and yourself.”

“So you condemn me to this wretched life. To die cursed.”

“We all have pain to endure in our lives. You as well as me.” She paused for a while, then rolled on her side, towards him. She cupped his face, tears fell from her eyes. He couldn’t help but sob uncontrollably. “God bless you, Mr. Rochester, and reward you for your kindness.”

He sighed and stared at the ceiling “Jane Eyre’s love would have been my best reward.” he spoke in an almost broken voice “Without it my heart is broken…”

He reached out for her hand… but she was gone. He sat up immediately and looked around. She stood in the dark by the window.

“I love you, Sir.”

I lost her, he thought “I wish I was dead…”  
He covered his eyes with his palms. Tiredness overcame him and as he fell asleep, he knew she’d be gone in the morning.  
And he’d never see her again…

\----------------

_He felt all warm and secure. All his worries were gone. A ray of the first sunlight fell into the room and onto the bed. The curtains were wide open and he felt the warmth of the sunlight on his bare skin. He felt content and loved._  
 _He lay on his side, covered by the warm sheets, his arms slung around Jane Eyre’s body. Her hair lay loose on the pillows, a strand of it fell on her face. Her eyes were close, her lips slightly open. She looked perfectly peaceful and happy. She was asleep… in his arms. He dreamed about this wonderful moment ever since he met her gaze on the road to Thornfield._  
 _He held her warm body tight in his arms and closed his eyes for a moment. Rochester intended to memorize this picture of her, this perfect moment, for all eternity. Never would he forget, never ever let her leave him again. My sweet little fairy, he thought, my beautiful companion, my darling wife…_

_His sight flashed and pictures of a desperate, crying, lonely Jane entered his mind. “No” Rochester cried. Jane looked at him, silent and grave and without resentment, but full of grief. The image of Jane flickered. He saw her running around with Adele on the grounds of Thornfield Hall; saw her running away from him on the corridors; saw her drawing a picture of him in the library, watching him closely, smirking every now and then; saw her lying on the floor, desperately crying, as if someone had died… The image froze as she writhed with pain in her eyes – “NO!!” He yelled._

_He looked around and found himself back in his chamber, back in his bed… back in her arms. She was awake and smiling at him. Her smile was soft and pure and loving._

_“Edward” she said and gazed at him._

_He couldn’t respond. He tried to answer her, but the words he formed with his lips never left his throat. He froze. Something was wrong._

_“Edward?” she said again, still smiling but with worries written all over her face. “Edward?!” Fear entered her now wide open eyes. He couldn’t feel her anymore. The arms he wrapped around her only seconds ago were now touching nothing but smoke and air forming an image of his beloved. “Edward!” she screamed in agony and she faded away. “No, Jane! Jane!” he cried. He tried to catch her, to get hold of her, but she was gone…_

\----------------

“NO!” he woke up screaming and panting. He heard the door being shut. She must have left, Rochester thought. It was over… all over. “Jane” he muttered and sat up. He held his head in his hands and felt numb and deserted. This feeling he could not compare to any other emotion he ever felt in his life. It was beyond despair.... His world got dark and all the light he had seen vanished with her at once. A tiny pearl of cold sweat ran down his forehead.

Minutes went by and Rochester just sat there, unable to move or speak. He felt empty… There was nothing left in him, no moving power that would take him on.

A strange scent reached his nose. He sniffed and all of the sudden he was wide awake. Rochester jumped out of the bed. Smoke! He smelled smoke. Bertha! , he thought, she must have set a fire somewhere in the house. He ran to the door and grabbed the iron doorknob. It was hot. Rochester pulled his sleeve over his hand and pulled the door open. The curtains and the furniture in the corridor were already on fire. The heat burned on his skin and he could hardly breathe. His lungs filled with smoke and started to sting. Rochester coughed and his eyes started to water. He went right, in direction of the stairway to the entrance hall, but the heat was overwhelming and he stumbled back to Jane’s room and closed the door. He struggled for breath and sank to the floor. “Please…” he whispered “…good God, let her be far away from this inferno!” He heard agitated voices from outside the window. He struggled to get up on his feet and opened the window.  
Down in the court he saw Mrs. Fairfax, George and Mary, and some other servants… no sign of Jane. Mrs. Fairfax seemed to have noticed the now open window on the second floor and screamed in panic. “Oh, dear Lord! Master! Master’s up there! Heavens” she cried. They all turned around and started waving at him, trying to show him a way out of his dreadful situation. 

“Where is she?” Rochester yelled “Where is she? Is she still on Thornfield?” 

The others started to question each other but soon continued to wildly gesture with their arms. Rochester stepped back from the window and cocked his head. His eyes heavenwards he prayed for her safety, when he heard a dark, sinister laughter from above the ceiling. Bertha!

He fetched a tissue from the nightstand to cover his mouth and nose and hasted out of the room, turning to the left until he reached the stairway up to the prison he built for his ‘wife’. Exhausted and half suffocated he reached the top of the stairs and nearly collapsed. The air on the third floor was not yet filled with the billowing smoke, but the enormous heat and the flames were already crawling up the walls to devour the next floor. He crawled a few meters on the heated floorboards until he finally managed to get up to his feet. As he reached the door he immediately entered Bertha’s chamber.

There she stood, grinning at him with her head tilted. Her insane, dark eyes wide open and gliding over his body. Her neck twitched and she threateningly lowered her head, always maintaining eye contact. Berthas grin grew even wider as she stepped a little aside, allowing Rochester to take a look at what she hid behind her on floor. Rochester’s streaming eyes tried to focus on the grey thing lying on the carpet. His eyes widened with enormous fear and panic as he recognized what lay there – Jane!

Bertha laughed and giggled like the maniac she was. She showed the monster living inside of her, running and dancing around the lifeless body of Jane Eyre.

Rochester stumbled to his beloved Jane and fell hard on his knees. Jane lay on the ground, her dress covered with traces of the fire, her hair untidy with a few loose strands. She had a deep cut on her forehead right beneath the hairline. The blood had dried on her face and even more blood still flowed from the wound. He could barely stand the sight of her in this condition.

“Oh no… no no no… no, Jane” he sobbed in despair. His hands hovered above her face, but he did not dare to touch her. Bertha still danced like a fury and sang in a high, shrill voice. Rochester’s tears fell from his eyes and he bowed to her.  
“My Jane… my darling fairy… no…” he moaned and pulled her in his arms. With her limp body pressed against his, he checked her pulse and listened for any breathing. His heart jumped in relief as he felt her heartbeat. “Only unconscious…” he whispered and cupped her face, sighed in and leaned his head against hers. 

Suddenly a high, heart-piercing shriek left Bertha’s distorted mouth. She stood at the window looking furious. She roared and screamed at them, spitting on the ground and throwing objects after Rochester. He came to his feet and stood before Jane to shield her from Bertha. His wife growled at him and went for his throat. Her fingernails scratched over his chin and his neck and left bleeding traces. She hit and kicked him wherever she could reach him with all the power she could bring up. Rochester tried to catch her hands and fixate them on her back, but she managed to squirm free of his hold. In his despair he slapped her across the face and pushed her away. She fell on the ground, trembling and with pure rage in her eyes.

A tiny, black fly woke up from the tumult and the heat. It began to buzz around Bertha’s head and she got distracted. Rochester glared at her, but all she had in mind was the fly above her. She followed it with her eyes and tried to catch it with her bare hands. She stood up and followed the fly through the room. Rochester’s eyes followed her as she followed the fly to the open window and as it left the room, she climbed up on the windowsill. 

“Bertha?! Bertha, what on earth…? Get down here! Come on.” Rochester said and took a few cautious steps towards her. He offered her his hand to get down from the windowsill, but she did not notice him. She stood up on the windowsill, her white nightgown streaming in the wind. Her hands let go and she fell out of the window...

Rochester ran to the window to catch her, but it was far too late. He leaned out of the window and saw her smashed corpse on the cobblestones. He froze for a moment before he turned away.

He rushed back to Jane and pulled her in an embrace. He lifted her up and carried her to the door. Jane's eyes opened a little and she slung her arms around his neck. Rochester opened the door and carried her in direction of the stairway, but a wall of dancing flames and scorching heat blocked their way and trapped them. He tried to get past the fire, but the heat and smoke were too strong to endure them. Jane looked up at him and a single tear ran down her cheeks. He pulled her closer and carried her back to Bertha’s chamber.  
Rochester lay her down on the soft divan and hurried back to shut the door. He leaned against the wood and panted. What should he do, he asked himself. They were trapped… on the third floor… one way led into an inferno, the other way to Bertha… there was no escape.

He resigned and stared on the floor. Edward inhaled a few deep breaths and all of the sudden he was calm and prepared. He made his way through the chamber and sat down on the divan beside Jane. She sobbed and flung her arms around his neck. They kissed and he wrapped his arms around her waist. Edward pulled Jane as close as possible and held her tight. She cupped his face, looked in his eyes and smiled sadly… They shared one last, soft and loving kiss… He lowered his head and leaned his forehead against Jane’s. They closed their eyes and in each other’s arms they waited for the inevitable end to come.


End file.
